Beam Benders for Continental Driving

[brianrh]

Good morning all

I am going through the process of buying a 55 plate 1.9CDti Vectra C. In a few weeks I am off to France for the annual vacation and I am wondering about the usual headlamp problem of driving a right hand drive car abroad. With my old Vectra B I always used the stick on "beam bender" kits and I read that on earlier Vectra Cs there is a lever behind each headlamp unit for switching the dipped headlamp from assymmetral to symmetral mode.

However there seems to be no levers behind these headlamp units & the slanting polycarbonate fronts look a bit awkward for putting stickers on. What do you folks normally do?

Thanks.

[Gsi3.2]

on the pre-facelifts there is a lever to turn to adjust the headlights, it is a bit hidden, but it's there....

on the post facelifts i beleive it's an allenkey needed to 'flick' the beams over to continental settings..

[G.O'Rilla]

on the post facelifts i beleive it's an allenkey needed to 'flick' the beams over to continental settings..

Anyone know any more about this - I drive on the continent a lot and rather than glue plastic on to plastic with the usual sticky covers, I would like to adjust them properly. I always thought (previous threads) that this was not possible. If so, I suppose that they are as easy to get to as the headlight bulbs.........

[SignumPhil]

Page 147 of the driver's manual
follow the link.......

https://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/static...numJan2005.pdf

You'll need 23-inch fingers to do it, though......

And a mirror on a stick.

Phil

[Paul W. H]

I collected my new 07 plate Vectra on March 1st and the only question that I cannot get an answer to is the way to switch the dip beam from left to right for driving on the continent. I have been to two Vauxhall Main Dealers and cannot get an answer even after showing them page 135 of the manual (see below).

If a Vauxhall Dealer did adjust the headlights and I drive to Dover to catch a ferry, surely I am breaking the law and the same on the return.

I have been to Halfords and bought some deflectors, which list the Vectra C "facelift" and what to stick where, however with no lines on the lens to work from this is going to be fun.

Paul W. H


Quote Lighting Page 135

Headlights when driving abroad
The asymmetrical dipped beam increases
the field of vision on the passenger side of
the lane.
This causes glare for oncoming traffic if the
vehicle is driven in countries where traffic
drives on the opposite side of the road.

Do as follows to prevent glare:

Vehicles with
halogen headlight system or
xenon headlight system, without
Adaptive Forward Lighting 3 (AFL)
Have the headlights adjusted by a
workshop. We recommend your Vauxhall
Authorised Repairer.

Vehicles with Adaptive Forward
Lighting 3 (AFL)
1. Open fuse box cover in engine
compartment, see page 250.
2. Insert any fuse (maxi-fuse) 3 in slot 37.
Fuse assignment – see page 251.
3. Close fuse box.
4. Switch on ignition.
Then the AFL control indicator B
illuminates for 4 seconds whenever the
ignition is switched on.

Control indicator B, see pages 38, 131.

[sig63]

Vehicles with
halogen headlight system or
xenon headlight system, without
Adaptive Forward Lighting 3 (AFL)
Have the headlights adjusted by a
workshop. We recommend your Vauxhall
Authorised Repairer.

There is no easy way to adjust the headlights on a facelift without AFL . But if your Vx-dealer cannot adjust them to European position, have a stop at a garage in France or Belgium and ask them to adjust them. Every garage has an allen key and the device needed...

[Chocki]

If you have a non AFL facelift Vec, then the lights cannot be adjusted for continental driving.
The dealers solution is to point them at the ground!, hardly acceptable.

Check here for my own personal advice which I use and have no problems whilst driving abroad with.

http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showpo...7&postcount=27

Good luck.

[AndrewTi]

Still sounds a right pain in the arris to me. If they could put a lever in the pre-facelift, why on earth couldn't they adapt it for the facelift? Another poor show by VX there.

I'll be looking for AFL too then.

My choices just get better and better!!

[siadwel]

one word, COST. still trying to find out how to fit a vertical load net which the facelift does NOT have the holes provided, whereas a 55 plate does, they don't put traction control in like they did on my '98 vectra LS either

mind you with the distance i'm getting on them i don't think it'll be a problem

[bennyk]

on the pre-facelifts there is a lever to turn to adjust the headlights, it is a bit hidden, but it's there......

Anyone got a piccy please of where this elusive lever is? Thanks